The report showed that Lorain High School had a graduation rate of 80.7 percent, after hitting 84.7 percent in 2010.

Lorain High School and Admiral King Elementary were both rated as effective in the report.

For the past two years, the Lorain City Schools have been listed under Academic Watch on the state report card. The department rates districts across the state as excellent with distinction, excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency.

The district also met one standard for the very first time. "This is the first year the district met the attendance record," she said.

As Atkinson stated, in previous years getting children to attend class was the largest hurdle.

To overcome that, the district instituted rewards systems for those who reached attendance records.

Incentives such as being able to dance using the Wii on Friday mornings or participate in dress down days were instituted and widely popular.

"Children want to be a part of success," Atkinson said.

Parent outreach was also something to school incorporated in to their efforts, such as having coffee available and thanking the parents as they dropped off their children, were a few of the programs.

While attendance is only one part of the puzzle for the district, it was a large part.

With the rise in attendance across the board, the test scores for grades three through 11 all went up for the most part.

Atkinson pointed out that the district was working hard to build a better high school student in the past couple of years.

With a higher focus on the basics, such as math, students entering high school have been improving over time.

"If we do what we do well," she said, "then everyone is getting better and once they get to high school, we should see a bigger difference."

Right now around 80 percent of students entering kindergarten are not prepared, according to Atkinson.

When Atkinson took the position of superintendent, higher standards were put in place to help the district grow.

"I'm excited with all the issues that we have rooted are now growing," she said. Issues addressing student curriculum, getting children into school, and helping students succeed, are a few of the things she set out to address.